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Pediatric Insomnia
Madeline Himelfarb1, Jess P Shatkin1
1Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University, One Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10016, USA.
Insights
Child and adolescent insomnia is common but often overlooked. Early assessment and treatment are vital for healthy brain development in children and teens.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder affecting all age groups.
- Pediatric insomnia is underdiagnosed and undertreated, despite its significant impact.
- Adequate sleep is critical for neurodevelopment in children and adolescents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of pediatric insomnia.
- To guide clinicians in assessing and treating insomnia in young populations.
- To highlight developmental differences in insomnia presentation.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review on child and adolescent insomnia.
- Analysis of clinical presentation across developmental stages.
- Synthesis of current knowledge for clinical application.
Main Results:
- Child and adolescent insomnia is a significant clinical issue.
- Insomnia symptoms and impacts vary with developmental stage.
- Effective assessment and treatment strategies are essential.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric insomnia requires greater clinical attention.
- Understanding developmental variations is key to effective management.
- This review serves as a guide for healthcare professionals.
Abstract:
Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder among all ages; unfortunately, however, child and adolescent insomnia is infrequently addressed. Given the importance of adequate sleep for proper brain development, pediatric populations are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of insomnia. Therefore, proper clinical assessment and treatment of pediatric insomnia is crucial. This article is the result of a comprehensive literature review and serves as a guide to the disorder and how it presents differently across child development.
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